Lasting machine



oct. 1, 1929. ,1 F PYM 1,729,682

l LASTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 2. '1926 Figl. I

Patented Get. 1, 1929 UNTED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTHUR F. PYM, lOF SWAMPSCOTT, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, 0F PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY LASTING MACHINE Application filed January 2, 1926. Serial No. 78,879.

This invention relates to lasting machines, and more particularly to means for determining, in that class of machines, the proper relation of the shoe to the lasting mechanism. The invention is herein illustrated in its application to means for determining the proper heightwise position ot a shoe relatively to mechanism for lasting the heel end of the shoe, as a part of a bed-lasting machine. of the same general type as that shown and described in United States Letters Patent No. 1,018,477, granted on Feb. 27, 1912, upon an application ot Matthias Brock. It is te be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to machines ot the type shown in that patent, nor to means that operates at the heel end of the shoe.

In providing means for determining the proper position of the shoe, it is desirable to avoid obstructing the operators view of the shoe at the time ot the lasting operation, or otherwise interfering with operations to be performed on the shoe, and the invention is accordingly herein illustrated as embodied in a device which is movable relatively to the lasting mechanism into and out of operative position. For economy of time in the lasting operation, the invention further provides a construction in which the device tor determining the proper position of the shoe is controlled without special attention 'from the operator of the lasting machine. The type of machine to which t-he invention is shown as applied comprises licei-lasting mechanism which is mounted tor positioning movement prior to operating upon the shoe and includes Wipers that are subsequently operated to wipe the upper inwardly over Athe heel seat; and for purposes ot this inwhich the shoe may be jacked to position it m proper relation to the wipers.

The novel features of the invention will now be more particularly described by ret erence to the accompanying drawings and thereafter set forth in the claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view in rear elevation of a portion of a bed-lasting machine of the type shown in the above-mentioned patent with the present invention applied thereto, parts of the structure being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the structure shown in F ig. 1;

.Figa 3 shows a portion of the structure o1 Fig. 1 in right-hand side elevation; vand Fig. 4 is a perspective View of portions ot the heightgage mechanism.

Machines of the type shown in the abovementioned patent comprise in their organization heel-lasting mechanism including a carrier 10 which is mounted by means of rolls 12 upon a support 14 for positioning movement lengthwise ot' the shoe relatively to the toe-lasting `mechanism (not herein shown), a latch 16 being provided for engagement with a lug 18 on the support 14 to retain the heel-lasting mechanism in operative position. The carrier 10 is thus moved toward the right (Fig. 1) by the operator of the lasting machine preparatory to the operation of the machine upon a shoe, and after operations upon the shoe have been completed the carrier is released and is re turned to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 1 by the action of means which is fully described in the Brock patent. Included in the heel-lasting mechanism is a heel band 20 for embracing and clamping the heel end of the shoe and wipers 22 which are operated by means of a hand lever 24C through a plunger 26 to wipe the heel end of the upper inwardly over the insole and to hold it until it is fastened by driving the usual heel-scat tacks. rlhe lever 24 is fulcrumed on a link 28 which is mounted on a member 30 adjustably supported on the carrier 10 and supporting in turn the heel band and the wipers.

'Ehe shoe is supported for the operation of Cil the lasting mechanism upon a post 32 provided with a heel pin 34 to enter the spindle hole in the last, the post 32 being vertically movable in a slide 86 which is horizontally movable in directions lengthwise of the shoe in the carrier 10. rlhe slide 36 is provided upon its top face with rack teeth engaged by a pinion 88 which is turned by means of a hand wheel 4() to move the post 32 toward the left (Fig. 1) and thus to force the Shoe rearwardly into the heel band 20. It will be understood that the operator thus forces the shoe back into the heel band after the heellasting mechanism has been moved as hereinbefore described into position for the latch 16 to engage the lug 18, the shoe-supporting means accompanying the lasting mechanism in this preliminary positioning movement. 1n the initial position of the post 32 the shoe is supported somewhat lower than is required for the lasting` operation, as indicated in Fig. 1, and as thev shoe is moved back into the heel band by the action of the hand wheel 40 the post is raised to force the shoe up toward the plane of the wipers Q2. For this purpose there is pivotally mounted on the slide 36 a member 42 which underlies the head of a screw 44 adjustably threaded in the lower end of the post 32 and is provided with a wedge face in engagement with the upper end of a screw 46 which is mounted on the carrier 10. rThe screw 46 is threaded in a nut 48 which is supported upon a spring 50 so that the screw and the nut may yield downwardly when resistance to the upward movement of the shoe becomes great enough, as by reason of the frictional contact of the heel band with the shoe. It will thus be seen that the upward movement of the shoe as the latter is forced back into the heel band is yieldingly effected and that the heightwise position of the shoe is not positively predetermined. As different shoes are presented to the machine the position to which they are raised by the mechanism described may vary somewhat in accordance with differences in conditions, as, for example, by reason of differences in the distance of the spindle holes from the rear end faces of different lasts. 1n view of such varying conditions the screw 46 is preferably so adjusted as to avoid danger of raising any shoe too high so that it might be injured by the operative movement of the wipers, as a result of which shoes may sometimes be positioned by this mechanism somewhat lower than is desirable for the best results in the lasting operation. Machines of the type shown in the Brock patent are further provided with treadleoperated means including a. vertically movable rod 52 for engaging the member 42 and further elevating the shoe support in case the operator observes that the shoe has not been raised to the proper height by the action of the screw 46 on the member 42, this treadle 'L means being also utilized subsequently to force the shoe firmly up against the wipers 22 after the wipers have been closed over the heel seat. 1n thus determining whether the bottom of the shoe is at the proper height for the heel-lasting operation in the use of machines as commonly constructed heretofore, the operator could only be guided by observation of the heel wipers, which in their retracted position serve as no very convenient or certain means to indicate the proper position of` the shoe.

F or purposes of the present invention there is mounted on the heel-lasting mechanism a height gage comprising an arm 54 arranged to extend lengthwise of a shoe on the shoe support and having adjustably threaded in one end thereof a pin or stop screw 56 for engagement with'the bottom of the shoe at or near the heel seat, the arm 54 being pivotally supported by means of two substantially parallel links 58 which are connected to it in diiferent locations lengthwise of the shoe and are pivoted on an extension 60 of a plate 62 which is a part of the wiper head. The upper ends of the links 58 are extended laterally over the heel-lasting mechanism so as to support the arm 54 in a position substantially midway between the opposite sides of said mechanism, as shown in Fig. 2. By swinging movements of the links 58 the height gage member 56 is carried either forwardly and downwardly into a posit-ion over the bottom of a shoe on the shoe support or reversely into a position outside of the edge of the shoe bottom, while maintaining' substantially the same angular relation to the .shoe bottom as illustrated by dotted and full lines, respectively, on F ig. 1.

The swinging movement of the links 58 to carry the member 56 from idle position into operative position is effected in response to the positioning movement of the heel-lasting mechanism toward the right (F ig. l) whereby the latch 16 is carried into engagement with the lug 18. For this purpose one of the links 58 has a downward extension 64, and there is mounted on the support 14 an abutment arm 66 for engaging the extension 64 and swinging the links as the carrier 10 is moved toward the right. The arm 66 is fast on a shaft 68 which is mounted for lengthwise movement and also for turning movement in bearing members 7 0 and 72 secured to the side of the support 14. Although the arm 66, as well as the heel-lasting mechanism, is thus movable in directions lengthwise of the shoe, the shaft 68 lits tightly enough in the bearing members 70 and 72 to prevent the. arm from being moved by the pressure of the extension 64 thereon as the height gage member 56 is being carried to its operative position.

YWhen the member 56 arrives in operative position it is retained in that position by means of a latch or pawl 74 which is fast on lSO a spindle 76 mounted for rocking movement on the extension 60 and is arranged to enter a notch 78 formed in a segment member 8O fast on one of the links 58. rllhe pawl 74 is pressed downwardly into position to engage the segment 8O by means of a spring 82 that acts on the spindle 76. The pawl 74 and the notch 78 in the segment 80 thus determine the operative position of the member 56 which is the same for different shoes except as the member 56 may be adjusted by turning it in the arm 54. l

ln order to permit the member 56 to be returned to its idle position before the heellasting mechanism is released and moved to the left ig. l) at the end of the operations on the shoe, the machine is provided with means which acts in response to the hereinbefore described positioning movement of the heel-lasting mechanism to swing the arm 66 to one side out of engagement with the extension 64. F or this purpose the shaft 68 is provided with a spirally-formed slot 84, and the bearing member 72 has therein a pin 86 which projects into this slot and acts in response to lengthwise movement of the shaft 68 to swing the arm 66 out of operative position. Such lengthwise movement of the shaft 68 occurs after the pawl 74 has entered the notch 78, and is effected by engagement of `the hub of the left-hand roll l2 (Fig. l) on the carrier l with a curved arm 88 which is fast on the shaft 68. rfhe return of the shaft and the arm 66 to operative position is effected by engagement of the hub of the right-hand roll l2 with the arm 88 when the heel-lasting mechanism is returned to its idle position.

After the arm 66 has been swung laterally to inoperative position in the manner above described, the height gage member 56 may be returned to its idle position upon its release by the lifting of the pawl 74, such return movement being effected by the action of a spring 90 connected to one of the links 58.

" The lifting of the pawl to release the height gage member is eii'ected by the wiper-operating movement of the hand lever 24. For this purpose the lever 24 is connected by a link 92 to a slide 94 mounted in a guideway 1` in the extension 60, this slide having a wedge face 96 arranged to engage a finger 98 which is fast on the spindle 76 and thus to turn the spindle and lift the pawl 74 out of the notch 78. Preferably, as shown, the parts are so formed as to effect the release of the member 56 at the beginning of the operative movement of the wipers, so that the operator may have an unobstructed view of the heel seat as the wipers are operated to wipe the upper inwardly.

Et will be evident that when the height gage member 56 is locked in its operative position by the pawl 74, it is supported against upward pressure of the shoe thereon, so that it f serves not only to indicate visually the proper heightwise position of the shoe, but also may act as an abutment to limit upward movement of the shoe. The member 56 thus serves as means to prevent the shoe from being forced too far upwardly, either by the action of the screw 46upon the member 42 or by the action of the treadle-operated rod 52, and thus insures against movement of the shoe to such a position that it might be damaged by the action of the heel wipers.

In the use of a machine equipped with the mechanism hereinabove described, the operator mounts a shoe on the spindle 34 and then moves the heel-lasting mechanism, together with the shoe support, into position to be held by the latch 16 in engagement with the lug 18. By this positioning movement of the heel-lasting mechanism the height Agage member 56 is swung into operative position over the bottom of the shoe by the action of the arm 66 upon the extension 64 of one of the links 58, and after the pawl 74 has entered the notch 78, the arm 66 is swung out. of the path of movement of the extension 64 by the continued movement of the heel-lasting mechanism. The operator then turns the hand wheel to force the shoe backwardly into the heel band 20, and in this backward movement of the shoe the latter is raised yieldingly by the action of thescrew 46 on the member 42. In case thescrew 46 is so adjusted as to tend to raise the shoe too high as the shoe is thus forced into the heel band, the member 56 by engagement with the insole prevents the shoe from being moved upwardly beyond the `proper position. If, on the other hand, the shoe is not raised into position for the insole to engage the member 56, this fact. is noted bythe operator, and it may then be raised to this position by the action of the treadle-operated rod 52, the member 56 serving` to prevent the shoe from being forced too far upwardly by the action of the treadle. l/Vhen the operator begins to move the lever 24 to operate the heel wipers, the pawl 74 is lifted in the manner hereinbefore described to release the height gage member, and this member is then immediately retracted to its idle position by the spring 90. lVhen the parts of the machine are returned to starting position, the arm 66 is again swung into the path of movement of the extension 64, seas `to swing the height gage mechanism into operative position when the machine is used to last the next shoe.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is l. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a shoe support and movable lasting mechanism, of a device movable relatively to said lasting mechanism, as an incident to movement of said mechanism, into position to determine the proper relation of a shoe on the shoe support to said mechanism.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a shoe support, and endlasting mechanism mounted for positioning' movement in a direction lengthwise ot a shoe on said support, of a device movable relatively to said lasting mechanism, in response to the positioning movement ot said mechanism, into position to determine the proper relation of the shoe to said mechanism.

3. ln a machine of the class described, the combination with a shoe support, and endlasting mechanism mounted for positioning o Imovement in a directi-on lengthwise ot' a shoe on said support, of a device carried by said lasting mechanism and movable relatively thereto into and out ot position to determine the proper relation of the shoe to said mech- `anism, and means operative as an incident to Athe positioning` movement of said lasting mechanism to move said device from idle position to operative position.

4. In a maclme ot the class described, the .combination with a shoe support, and endasting mechanism mounted for positioning movement. prior to operating upon a shoe on said support, of a device movable relatively to said lasting mechanism into and out of' po- .sition over the bottom ot the shoe for determining the proper relation ot the shoe to said mechanism, and means operative as an incident tothe positioning movement of the lastmechanism to move said device troman idle position outside of the edge oi the shoe bottom to a position over the shoe bottom.

5. ln a machine of the class described, the combination with a shoe support, and endlasting mechanism movable relatively to a shoe on said support, ot' a height gage arranged to be moved relatively to the lasting mechanism, by movement of said lasting mechanism, into operative position over the bottom or" the shoe. K ti. in a machine of the class described, the combination with a shoe support, and endlasting mechanism mounted tor positioning` movement in a direction lengthwise ot a shoe on said support, ot a height gage carried by said lasting mechanism tor determining the proper relation ot the shoe to said mechanism, said height gage comprising a member movable relatively to the lasting' mechanism from an idle position to a position over the bottom ot the shoe, and an abutment arranged to act on said member in response to the positioning movement of the lasting mechanism to move said member into position over the shoe bottom.

7. in a machine ot the class described, the combination with a shoe support, and endlasting mechanism mounted tor positioning movement in a direction lengthwise ot a shoe on said support, ot' a height gage mem- Aber carried by said lasting mechanism and movable from an idle position to operative position over the bottom of the shoe for determining the proper relation ot the shoe to the lasting mechanism, a lever carried by the lasting mechanism i'or moving said member into operative position, and an abutment in the path of said lever for operating` the lever in response to the positioning movement ot the lasting mechanism.

8. ln a machine ot the class described, the combination with a shoe support, and endlasting mechanism mounted ior positioning movement in a direction lengthwise ot a shoe on said support, ot a height gage member carried b-y said lasting mechanism and movable from an idle position to operative position over the bottom ot the shoe for determining the proper relation ot the shoe to the lasting mechanism, a lever carried by the lasting mechanism and connected to said member, a normally stationary abutment arranged to act on said lever in response to the positioning movement of the lasting mechanism to move said member into operative position, and means also operative in response to said movement of the lasting mechanism to move said abutment into position to permit a return movement of the height gage member before the lasting mechanism is returned to its starting position.

9. ln a machine ot the class described, the combination with a shoe support, and endlasting mechanism mounted i'or positioning movement in a direction lengthwise ot a shoe on said support, of a height gage carried by said lasting mechanism for determining the proper relation of the shoe to said mechanism, said height gage comprising a member arranged to be positioned over the bottom ot' the shoe and substantially parallel links supporting said-member torswinging movement from an idle position into operative position, one of said links being extended to serve as a lever, and an abutment arranged to operate said lever in response to the positioning movement ot the lasting mechanism to swing said member into operative position.

l0. In a machine or" the class described, the combination. with a shoe support, and endlasting mechanism mounted. ttor positioning movement prior to operating upon a shoe on said support, ot a height gage carried by said lasting mechanism and comprising a membermovable relatively to the lasting mechanism trom an idle position to operative position over the bottom of the shoe, means operative vin response to the positioning movement of the lasting mechanism to move said member into operative position, and automatic means for locking the mem` ber in operative position.

ll. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a shoe support, and endlastino' mechanism mounted tor positioning lli) movement lengthwise of a shoe on said support, of a device carried by said lasting.

mechanism and movab'le relatively thereto in a plane substantially perpendicular to the bottom of the shoe into and out of position to determine the proper relation of the shoe to said mechanism while maintaining substantially the same angular relation to the shoe bottom in its movement into and out oi operative position.

12. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a shoe support and endlasting mechanism, of a height gage mounted 0n said end-lasting mechanism and comprising a gage member movable relatively to said lasting mechanism in a plane substantially midway between the opposite sides of said mechanism into and out of position over the bottom of al shoe on said support while maintaining substantially the same angular relation to the shoe bottom in its movement into and out of operative position.

13. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a shoe support and endlasting mechanism, of a height gage mounted on said end-lasting mechanism, said height gage comprising a gage member and substantially parallel links supporting said member for swinging movement relatively to the lasting mechanism in a plane substantially perpendicular to the bottom of a shoe on the shoe support into and out of position over the bottom of the shoe.

14. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a shoe support and endlasting mechanism, of a height gage mounted on said end-lasting mechanism, said height gage comprising a gage member movable relatively to said lasting mechanism in a predetermined path forwardly and downwardly into operative position over the bottom of a shoe on the shoe support without substantially altering its angular relation to the bottom of the shoe.

15. In a. machine of the class described, the combination with manually operated heellasting mechanism, and a shoe support comprising a heel pin manually movable to jack a shoe in the direction of its height, of a device for engaging the heel end of the shoe to limit its height-wise movement, said device including a member extending lengthwise ot the shoe, and substantially parallel links connected to said member in different locations lengthwise of the shoe to carry the device llorwardly and downwardly into operative relation to the shoe.

16. In a machine of the class described, the combination with manually operated heellasting mechanism, and a shoe support manually movable to jack a shoe in the direction of its height, of a height gage comprising a member supported for forward and downward swinging movement into position over the bottom of the shoe to determine the proper relation of the shoe to the lasting mechanism, and means automatically operative in the swinging movement of said member for locking said member against upward movement to serve as an abutment against which to jack the shoe.

17. In a machine of the class described, the combination with heel-lasting mechanism, a shoe support movable to carry a shoe lengthwise toward said mechanism, and means operative in such lengthwise movement of the shoe to move it also in the direction of its height, of a height gage movable relatively to said lasting mechanism into position over the heel end of the shoe, and automatic means for locking said height gage in operative position to serve as an abutment to limit the height-wise movement of the shoe.

18. In a. machine oi the class described, the combination with a shoe support and lasting mechanism, of a device arranged to be positioned over the bottom of a shoe on said support for determining the proper height-wise position of the shoe in relation to said lasting mechanism, a latch for engaging said device to hold it in operative position, and means operative as an incident to the operative movement of said lasting-mechanism to move said latch out of holding engagement with said device and to withdraw said device from over the bottom of the shoe prior to any substantial action of said mechanism on the shoe.

19. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a shoe support, end-lasting wipers, and means for operating said wipers, of a device arranged to be positioned over the bottom of a shoe on said .support for determining the proper heightwise position. or the shoe in relation to the wipers, ano spring means arranged to be released independently of any movement of said device and as an incident to the operative movement of the wipers to withdraw said device from over the bottom of the shoe.

20. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a slice support, end-lasting wipers, and a hand lever having connections to the wipers for operating said wipers, ot' a device arranged to be positioned over the bottom of a shoe on said support t-o determine the proper relation of the shoe to the wipers, and means controlled by said hand lever separately from the wiper-operating connections for withdrawing said device from operative position.

21. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a shoe support, end-lasting wipers, and a hand lever Jfor operating said wipers, of a height gage comprising a member movable into and out of position over the bottom of a shoe on said support, a pawl for retaining said member in operative position, a spring for withdrawing the member from over the bottom oii the shoe, and mechanism iio operated by said hand lever for moving said pawl out of operative position and thereby releasing the member to the action of its spring.

22. In a machine of the class described, the combination with aI shoe support and movable lasting mechanism, of a device movable relatively to said lasting mechanism, as an incident to movements of said mechanism, into and out ot' position to determine the proper relation of a shoe to said mechanism.

23. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a shoe support, and lasting mechanism mounted for positioning movement and for subsequent operative movement, of a device for determining` the proper relation of a shoe to said mechanism, and means operative as an incident to said different movements of the lasting mechanism to move said device into and out of operative position respectively.

24. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a shoe support, and endlasting mechanism mounted for positioning movement lengthwise of a shoe on said support and comprising wipers movable to last an end of the shoe, of a device movable into and out of operative position over the bottom of the shoe for determining the proper relation of the shoe tofsaid wipers, means operative as an incident to the positioning movement of the lasting mechanism to move said device into operative position, and means operative as an incident to the operative movement of the wipers to withdraw said device from operative position.

25. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a shoe support, and endlasting mechanism mounted for positioning movement lengthwise of a shoe on said sup port and comprising wipers and a hand lever for operating them to last an end of the shoe, of a height gage carried by said lasting mechanism and movable relatively thereto into and out of operative position over the bottom of a shoe on said support, means operative in response to the positioning movement of thelasting mechanism to move said height gage into operative position, and spring means controlled by said hand lever for withdrawing said gage from operative position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ARTHUR F. PYM. 

